Press Releases

Governor Lincoln D. Chafee has announced that through a Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) construction contract, the next repair project for road damage caused by Hurricane Sandy is set to begin. Effective Tuesday, December 18, 2012, Poppasquash Road in Bristol will be closed to through traffic for an extended length from Hope Street to Coggeshall Farm Road through February 2013. Local access will remain open to all residences and businesses.

"We appreciate the continued efforts of RIDOT and our local contracting community to keep Hurricane Sandy repairs in the forefront. These projects help return our state's vital transportation infrastructure to its prior condition before the storm and support Rhode Island jobs in the hard-hit construction industry," Governor Lincoln D. Chafee said.

Through a $1.7 million contract with Cardi Corporation of Warwick, RIDOT will repair about 4,000 feet of Poppasquash Road and the Poppasquash Road Bridge. The roadway repairs will involve the removal and replacement of the damaged pavement. Workers will also fix the damaged sea walls, replace the drainage culverts, and make some minor drainage repairs.

The bridge work includes the replacement of the Poppasquash Road Bridge. The sidewalk barrier wall will also be replaced, and the drainage structures will be repaired.

"Once again, RIDOT is following the lead of the Governor to combat the damage from Hurricane Sandy head on," said RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis. "We will continue working to help restore the affected communities as best we can."

During the repair project, the recommended detour for through traffic is Asylum Road through Colt State Park to Coggeshall Farm Road.

RIDOT's goal is to complete work on storm-damaged State roads as soon as possible. On November 3, RIDOT began repairs to the seawall and sidewalk on Ocean Road in Narragansett. Repairs to Block Island's Corn Neck Road began on November 17 and repairs to Ocean Drive in Newport began on December 4.